2018 Para World Sailing Championships Notice of Race released

by World Sailing 14 Mar 2018 09:28 PDT 16-22 September 2018

The Notice of Race for the 2018 Para World Sailing Championships, in Sheboygan, USA, is now available to download. The Para Worlds will take place from 16 - 22 September.

Click here to view the Notice of Race (NoR).

The Worlds is the ultimate annual event for the best-of-the-best in Para World Sailing and showcases the development of the discipline. This year will have new formats including "Heat style" racing for the RS Venture Connect and medal races in all disciplines.

World Sailing is supporting the participation of new and emerging nations, in the Para World Sailing Championships, by providing economic support, free charter boats and training, including on-water sessions. Interested nations should contact - for further information.

The disciplines and racing format at the 2018 Para World Sailing Championships are:

• Single Person Keelboat (Technical) - Open Gender - 2.4mr Norlin One Design (OD) - fleet racing with a Medal Race
• Single Person Keelboat (Non-Technical) - Male - Hansa 303 - Short course fleet racing, shared charter boat with a Medal Race
• Single Person Keelboat (Non-Technical) - Female - Hansa 303 - Short course fleet racing, shared charter boat with a Medal Race
• Two Person Keelboat - Open Gender - RS Venture Connect - Short course fleet racing, shared charter boat with late stage knockouts. The winner of the final race will win the event

The all new RS Venture Connect two-person dinghy will be included in the Para Worlds for the first time ever. The two-seat standard configuration on the RS Venture Connect was recommended to the Para World Sailing Committee by RS Sailing and has been vetted for safety and classification for the 2018 World Championships.

At the 2017 Annual Conference in Mexico, the RS Venture Connect was selected by the PWSC for use at the Worlds. The boat can be sailed by males and/or females and all competitors must have a valid International Classification under the current Para-Classification Rules for World Sailing. The total points of each team in the RS Venture Connect shall not exceed 8 points unless there is a female on the team. The total number of classification points can be increased by one for each female aboard.

Click here for the RS Venture Connect Equipment Regulations.

As the Para World Sailing Committee continue to gather input and feedback on sailors regarding ongoing evolution and evaluation of equipment, safety factors and classification, competitors racing in Sheboygan will be invited to test the RS Venture Connect single center line seat configuration with a crew permitted to sit on the rail.

The one-person boat, Hansa 303, made its Para World Sailing Championship debut at the 2017 edition in Kiel, Germany. Piotr Cichocki (POL) and Violeta del Reino (ESP) took the inaugural men's and women's title. The sailors in the Hansa will need to meet the minimal disability criteria for Para World Sailing Classification and the men and women will compete in separate fleets again in 2018.

The RS Venture Connect and the Hansa 303 boats will be provided by World Sailing for the championships, reducing costs for sailors.

The third class to be included in the Para Worlds will be the one-person keelboat, Norlin 2.4mr OD. This is a technical and highly adaptable boat made to meet the needs of each sailor. Unlike the Hansa 303, males and females can compete together in the class. Sailors competing in this event will need to meet minimum disability classification requirements.

View the NoR for more information.